Broken Bow (episode)
Earth launches its first starship of exploration, Enterprise, on a mission to return an injured Klingon to his homeworld. Summary Teaser "Where no man has gone before," Jonathan Archer recited, as he concentrated on painting the model of a starship. Jonathan's father, Henry Archer, commented that Zefram Cochrane would be proud of the child. In reply, Jonathan stated that he could recite the entirety of Cochrane's speech by rote. Curious about Henry Archer's ship, Jonathan asked his father when the new vessel would be ready. Unfortunately, the prototype craft had not even been built yet. However, Henry Archer informed his son that the vessel would eventually be of a considerable size. Jonathan dipped his paintbrush into a jar of paint and wondered whether the new craft would be bigger than "Ambassador Pointy's" ship. Henry Archer corrected his son that the man he referred to as "Ambassador Pointy" was actually called Soval, an extremely helpful Vulcan. However, Jonathan stated that, according to Billy Cook, humans would be flying at warp five if it weren't for Vulcan intervention. Although Henry Archer didn't fully understand the reasons behind the Vulcans' constraint, he believed there must have been an explanation. Thirty years later, the wreckage of a Klingon ''K'toch''-class scoutship lies abandoned in a cornfield in Broken Bow, Oklahoma on Earth. Klaang, the Klingon occupant of the destroyed craft, desperately races through the corn field, chased by agents of the Suliban Cabal. Klaang stumbles as one of the Suliban fires a weapon at him. Stepping out of a farmhouse, the owner of the cornfield, a farmer named Moore, sees a plume of smoke from the crashed Klingon craft and flashes of light from the Sulibans' weapons in the cornfield. Gulping, Moore urgently steps back inside the farmhouse. Reaching a clearing in the field, Klaang heads toward a nearby grain silo. The Klingon quickly glances behind him, before opening the door of the tall silo. Stepping inside, Klaang locks the large door behind him. Meanwhile, Moore exits the farmhouse, armed with a plasma shotgun. With an irritated expression on his face, the farmer prepares his weapon and runs toward the cornfield. Elsewhere, the Suliban step into the clearing and head for the door to the grain silo. Finding the entrance locked, one of the Suliban hands the other his weapon and lowers himself to the ground. He then proceeds to dislocate his skeletal structure as his body slides beneath the sealed door. On the other side, he opens the door for his partner and the two Suliban enter the grain silo. However, Klaang jumps out of a door at the top of the tall silo, finally making his escape from his alien pursuers. Removing a disruptor from his belt, the Klingon warrior fires a single shot at the silo, causing the construction to explode. Klaang is blown to the ground as pieces of debris hurtle toward him. As smoke from the explosion dissipates, the Klingon staggers to his feet. Arriving at the scene of the explosion, Moore seems horrified to find his grain silo has been destroyed. Noticing Klaang, the farmer aims his plasma shotgun at the Klingon, and tells the alien to drop his weapon. Klaang shouts Klingonese at Moore, although the farmer can't comprehend the meaning of the alien's words. When the Klingon steps forward, Moore fires his shotgun. By the force of the energy blast, Klaang is thrown backward and lands in the corn. With his mouth agape, Moore frowns down at the injured alien. Act One Aboard an orbital inspection pod, Jonathan Archer, now a captain in the Earth Starfleet, and Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker travel to Starfleet's drydock facility in orbit of Earth. There, the prototype NX class starship ''Enterprise'' is gradually being prepared. On board the inspection pod, Commander Tucker reports that the Ventral Plating Team will soon be finished their work on the new starship. Captain Archer advises Trip to make sure that the color of the starship's ventral plating matches its nacelle housings. Archer jokes with Trip that he is planning to sit on the starship's hull and pose for some postcards. They comment that Enterprise is both beautiful and fast. In awe, the captain adds that Enterprise is able to travel from Earth to Neptune and return to Earth again in under six minutes. He tells Commander Tucker to pilot the orbital inspection pod to a better location to view the lateral sensor array. Trip adheres to the captain's request and Archer soon recognizes a section of the starship that he wants reinforced. The captain hands Trip a high-tech stylus and padd, and the engineer makes a note. With his attention diverted from the inspection pod's control throttle, the craft lightly bumps into Enterprise. When Archer notes that the pod scratched some of Enterprise's paint, Commander Tucker apologizes. A member of Starfleet contacts the pod and Tucker replies, referring to the inspection pod as "Orbital 6". The Starfleet officer reports that Admiral Forrest has requested Archer's immediate presence at Starfleet Medical. There, night has settled over San Francisco. In a dimly lit anteroom, Admirals Forrest and Leonard, and Commander Williams discuss Klaang with three Vulcan dignitaries - Ambassador Soval, Tos and Subcommander T'Pol. Soval states that he is uncertain who Klaang's pursuers were, as they were incinerated in the methane explosion of Farmer Moore's grain silo. The Vulcan ambassador adds that Moore was unable to give an accurate account of the Suliban's appearance. Tos reveals that the Suliban were using a form of stealth technology to travel to Earth and that the Vulcans are currently studying their sensor logs in an attempt to obtain more information. When Commander Williams asks to view the Vulcan sensor logs, Soval replies that the Klingons clearly requested the Vulcans to expedite the situation. Although Admiral Leonard retorts that the incident occurred on Earth, Tos believes that fact is irrelevant. When Admiral Forrest opines that the humans have a right to know what happens to Klaang, Ambassador Soval responds that the Vulcans will continue to supply Starfleet with all appropriate information. Commander Williams rhetorically asks who will decide what information is important. The conversation reaches an abrupt end when Jonathan Archer enters and shakes Admiral Forrest's hand. Archer sees Klaang for the first time, strapped to a bed in a room separated from the anteroom by a large window. Archer, who is familiar with all the Starfleet and Vulcan personnel in the anteroom, moves closer to the window. Admiral Leonard incorrectly informs Archer that the injured alien is a "Kling-ott", though Tos corrects the admiral that Klaang is a Klingon. Forrest informs Archer that Klaang was found in Oklahoma and adds that a farmer named Moore shot the alien with a plasma rifle, supposedly in self defense. When Tos reveals that he and Soval have maintained close contact with Qo'noS since the incident occurred, Admiral Leonard explains that Qo'noS is the Klingon homeworld. Admiral Forrest steps forward and states that Klaang was a courier, obviously carrying crucial information to the Klingon Empire when he was shot and almost killed. Forrest adds that Soval believes the launch date of Enterprise should be held back until the situation with the Klingons has been resolved. Sarcastically, Archer comments that the Vulcans are hardly being original, though Soval is definite that Starfleet does not want to make an enemy of the Klingon Empire. Tos believes that if the Klingons hadn't agreed to take Klaang's corpse back to Qo'noS, it's likely that they would soon have deployed a fleet of warbirds to annihilate Earth. Archer asks whether Tos' use of the word "corpse" denotes that Klaang is dead. Before Tos can answer, however, Archer walks through to the other room and asks a doctor whether the Klingon is dead. The doctor spouts medical jargon at Archer, although he eventually admits that Klaang won't necessarily die. Puzzled that the Vulcans are going to disconnect the alien from his life support system, Archer walks back to the anteroom and questions their logic. When Soval explains that the Klingons find honor in death and that Klaang would be disgraced if his people found him in his present condition, Tos informs Archer that the Klingons are a warrior race who dream of dying in battle. The Vulcan dignitary begins to say that Archer doesn't understand the complexities of interstellar travel, but the captain interrupts. As his temper rises, Archer questions the Vulcans' diplomatic solution to "pull the plug". Although Tos thinks that Archer's metaphor is crude, he admits its accuracy. Archer finds it hard to believe that Admiral Forrest would allow the Vulcans to commit murder, but Soval tells Forrest that the Klingons have directed the Vulcans to return Klaang immediately. Ignoring the Vulcan ambassador, Archer demands an answer from Forrest. The admiral states that Starfleet may have to submit to the judgment of the Vulcans. However, Archer responds that Starfleet has adhered to the Vulcans' wishes for too long and implies his belief that the time has come for Earth to take action alone. From behind Archer, Subcommander T'Pol states that the humans are not yet ready to look beyond their volatile nature. However, Archer implies that he is restraining himself from using violence against the Vulcans. Following a brief pause in the discussion, Archer claims that Enterprise will be prepared to depart drydock in three days. He makes an appeal for the permission to transport Klaang aboard the starship, and to carry the Klingon back to Qo'noS alive. However, Admiral Leonard recalls that the starship's communications officer is in Brazil and that Archer hasn't selected a medical officer yet. Still, the captain insists that he and his crew will be ready to leave in three days. Finally, Forrest relents and supports Archer's request. Soval shouts that the admiral is making a mistake, provoking Archer to chide the Vulcan's lack of logic. The Vulcans exit, leaving Forrest to wish Archer good luck. As the Starfleet officers leave, Archer taps the window and indicates that he wants to speak with the same doctor he spoke to earlier. While work on Enterprise continues, Ensign Travis Mayweather comments that the starship's transporter has been approved for bio-transport. Although Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, the ship's armory officer, presumes that Ensign Mayweather is referring to the transport of fruit and vegetables, Travis states otherwise. Apparently, the transporter has been equipped to beam officers to and from the ship. Lieutenant Reed expresses his fear of having his molecules compressed, though Ensign Mayweather reassures him that Starfleet has announced the use of the transporter is safe. As a crewman beams a container onto the transporter platform, Malcolm Reed implies he is still doubtful. Although he is concerned that Archer may ask him to use the transporter, Mayweather has heard that the captain wouldn't even use the device on his own dog. Reed sighs as he and Mayweather open the newly arrived container. The lieutenant is frustrated to find a case of valve sealant in the container, instead of the plasma coils he had asked for. As a result, Reed mentions it is extremely likely that the starship's weapon systems will not be functional in three days, though Mayweather wonders why Enterprise will require weapons. In reply, Lieutenant Reed asks whether Travis read the profile report on the Klingons. When Mayweather responds negatively, Reed notifies him that the Klingons prepare for combat by sharpening their teeth. Travis gives Reed an uneasy half-smile, and is shocked to learn that the lieutenant was not joking. As crewmen work, Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Mayweather walk through a corridor. Reed believes that Commander Tucker will probably reassure him that his equipment will arrive in a day's time. Ensign Mayweather seems otherwise preoccupied, however, and remarks that the starship's artificial gravity seems to be slightly heavy. He remembers that his father used to keep the gravity aboard the [[ECS Horizon|ECS Horizon]] at a low level. Reed comments that Mayweather must have found Earth gravity extremely heavy, after spending his childhood aboard cargo ships. In main engineering, Commander Tucker is at the warp engine when Travis and Reed enter. Reed introduces Tucker to Mayweather, and mentions that the ensign has just arrived. Tucker recalls that Mayweather is a "space boomer" and tells the ensign that Enterprise has previously traveled at warp four. Adding that the starship will be traveling at warp 4.5 when it clears Jupiter, Tucker wonders whether Mayweather will be sufficient at the helm. Mayweather laughs, amazed at Enterprise's capabilities. Reed worries that the starship's deflector needs to be realigned, although Tucker reassures him that his equipment will arrive in a day's time. In a Brazilian open-air classroom, linguist Hoshi Sato is teaching several college students an alien language. Since one of the students, named Carlos, seems to experiencing difficulty pronouncing the alien words, Hoshi focuses more of her attention on him. When she notices that Archer has arrived, she encourages Carlos to keep practicing and leaves to speak with the captain. As she and Archer walk along a path surrounded by jungle plant life, Hoshi reveals that her students will sit their exams in two weeks. Due to this, she feels that it would be irresponsible to leave them. Archer believes a relief teacher could cover for Hoshi, but the linguist explains that no else could do what she does. If there was, Archer wouldn't be so eager to recruit her. When Hoshi apologises for the fact that she feels obligated to stay, Archer warns that he could order her to leave. However, the linguist reminds Archer that she is on leave from Starfleet. Hoshi adds that she will accept an assignment aboard Archer's "space ship" once three weeks have passed. The captain removes a small device from his clothing and subsequently actives it. Hoshi is intrigued when the device plays back a vocal recording. Archer tells her that Ambassador Soval gave Starfleet a sample of the Vulcan linguistic database and that the voice is speaking Klingonese. Although the Vulcans are opposed to Starfleet returning Klaang to his people, both organizations managed to make a few compromises. As Hoshi listens to the recording, she asks what Archer knows about the Klingons. Although he states that he doesn't have much information on the species, Archer replies that the Klingons are an empire of warriors. Regarding their language, he reveals that Klingonese has eighty poly-guttural dialects constructed on an adaptive syntax. As Hoshi's attention intensifies, Archer states that she will be the first human to communicate with the Klingons if she joins his crew. The linguist looks at Archer and smiles. Another addition to his crew is Sub-Commander T'Pol, who has been assigned as a "chaperon" by the Vulcan High Command to the position of executive and science officer, in exchange for the provision of Vulcan star charts. The ship is launched during a ceremony conducted by Admiral Forrest, accompanied by a recording of a speech by Doctor Zefram Cochrane. En route to Qo'noS, Enterprise is attacked by the Suliban, who extract Klaang from sickbay. The ship travels to Rigel X in search of Klaang, where Archer meets Sarin, a renegade Suliban who informs him of the existence of the Temporal Cold War. The Suliban are promoting internal strife in the Klingon Empire and Klaang was transporting evidence of this back to Qo'noS to prevent a civil war. Sarin is killed by Cabal agents, and the Enterprise crew barely makes it back to the ship alive. T'Pol tracks a Suliban vessel back to the Suliban Helix, where Archer and Commander Tucker use a captured Suliban cell ship to board the Helix and extract Klaang. Archer also breaks the Helix apart using a magnetic device. Enterprise returns Klaang to Qo'noS and brings him before the Klingon High Council, and the Klingons recover their data. Enterprise officially begins its mission of exploration. Background Information *This is the first episode of Star Trek: Enterprise and the only two-hour episode in that series. *With the addition of this episode, Enterprise became the first Star Trek spin-off not to have a character from the previous Trek series appear in its pilot episode. Doctor McCoy was seen briefly in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Encounter at Farpoint"; Captain Jean-Luc Picard appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "Emissary"; and Quark had a cameo appearance in Star Trek: Voyager's "Caretaker". Morn also appears in that episode *Several of the guest characters' names are homages to The Original Series. Admiral Forrest (named after DeForest Kelley), Admiral Leonard (Leonard Nimoy), Commander Williams (William Shatner) and Tos (an abbreviation of 'T'he 'O'riginal 'S'eries). *Farmer Moore was named after Ronald D. Moore. *Vaughn Armstrong (who holds the record for playing the largest amount of alien guest characters on Star Trek) played his first human role in this episode as Admiral Forrest. The character would continue to appear throughout the series. *James Cromwell reprises his Star Trek: First Contact role, Zefram Cochrane, in this episode, although his name does not appear in the credits. *Sections of Zefram Cochrane's speech were taken from the opening narrations heard in the title sequences of The Original Series and The Next Generation. *Gary Graham, who plays Soval in this episode, previously played Tanis in "Cold Fire", an episode of Star Trek: Voyager. *Thomas Kopache, who plays Tos in this episode, would later play a male Sphere Builder in "Harbinger". *Porthos is the only character, besides the regulars, to appear in both this episode and the finale of the series, "These Are the Voyages...". *The model starship which young Jonathan Archer plays with in flashbacks throughout this episode was designed by illustrator Jim Martin and built by the Paramount prop shop. Memorable Quotes "Where no man has gone before." - Said twice, first by young Jonathan Archer, reciting a speech by Zefram Cochrane, which is heard later. Very first line of the series "Volatile? You have no idea how much I'm restraining myself from knocking you on your ass." - Archer's first words to T'Pol, in response to her claim that humans are not ready to make their own decisions "Keep your shirt on, lieutenant." - Said twice, first by Lieutenant Malcolm Reed doing an impression of Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker, then by Trip, himself. "You can't be afraid of the wind." - Said twice, first at the start of the episode by Henry Archer when young Jonathan Archer was having trouble flying a model starship, then at the end of the episode by Captain Archer, in reply to Ensign Mayweather's suggestion to fly around a minor spatial disturbance (ion storm or similar) Links and References Guest Stars *John Fleck as Silik *Melinda Clarke as Sarin *Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, Jr. as Klaang *Vaughn Armstrong as Admiral Forrest *Jim Beaver as Admiral Leonard *Mark Moses as Henry Archer *Gary Graham as Soval *Thomas Kopache as Tos *Jim Fitzpatrick as Commander Williams *James Horan as Humanoid Figure *Joseph Ruskin as Suliban Doctor *Marty Davis as Young Jonathan Archer *James Cromwell as Zefram Cochrane *Van Epperson as Alien Man *Ron King as Farmer Moore *Peter Henry Schroeder as Klingon Chancellor *Matt Williamson as Klingon Council Member *Byron Thames as Crewman *Ricky Luna as Carlos *Jason Grant Smith as Crewman Fletcher *Chelsea Bond as Lorillian Mother *Ethan Dampf as Lorillian Child *Diane Klimaszewski as Butterfly Dancer *Elaine Klimaszewski as Butterfly Dancer References 2119; Altarian marsupial; Billy Cook; boomer; decontamination chamber; dockmaster; Draylax; Draylaxian; Elkan Nine; immunocytic gel worm; Klingon language; K'toch class; Linguistic database; orbital inspection pod; osmotic eel; OV-165; phase pistol; protocystian spore; Sector 3641; Earth Starfleet; sweet spot; Teneebian Moons; Trillius Prime; Vulcan Compound; Warp Five Complex; warp five engine Category:ENT episodes de:Aufbruch ins Unbekannte, Teil I